EVERYWHERE IN THIS MADE-TO-ORDER 6.1-LITRE V12 MASTERPIECE ONE FINDS YET FURTHER EVIDENCE OF SIMPLE DEDICATION TO EXCELLENCE
Design purity is an intrinsic part of the McLaren F1. From the project’s inception, it was decided to utilise both a purpose-designed transmission and a high-performance 12-cylinder naturally-aspirated engine of great efficiency, all integrated from the beginning into the overall F1 package. While offering great power, the engine also had to meet worldwide emission and ‘green’ requirements since the McLaren F1’s concept combines ultra-modern technology with the most noble Grand Touring car values.
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The resultant naturally-aspirated V12 engine for the McLaren F1 has been purpose-built by BMW Motorsport in Munich, Germany, to meet all these demands. Commissioned by McLaren Cars, BMW Motorsport’s design and development team has been led by their universally acclaimed senior engineer Dipl. Ing. Paul Rosche.
The McLaren F1’s 6.1-litre 60-degree V12 engine is an entirely new four-cam, 48-valve unit of extraordinarily compact design, sharing nothing with BMW’s unrelated smaller-capacity production-line V12.
Paul Rosche and his BMW Motorsport engineers have a long association with both Ron Dennis of McLaren International and Gordon Murray of McLaren Cars. As early as 1974, BMW Motorsport supplied 2-litre 4-cylinder engines to Ron Dennis’ contemporary ‘Project Four’ European Formula 2 Championship team, and in 1978-79 Project Four built BMW M1 ‘Procar’ Coupes for the Grand Prix-supporting series won by Niki Lauda.
BMW Motorsport entered Formula 1 with Brabham, producing 1.5-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder engines which powered driver Nelson Piquet in the Gordon Murray-designed Brabham-BMWs to World Championship titles in 1984-85 and 1988-91 with Shell fuels and lubricants playing a vital role. Now the ‘S70/2’ V12 engine and the ingenious transmission through which it drives have both been developed and perfected with Shell’s input and collaboration. From these old-established relationships of mutual respect the McLaren F1 has grown…
